Oakland’s Joe Boyle gives up first hit to Angels in 7th inning of his 3rd big league appearance

By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Oakland Athletics right-hander Joe Boyle pitched six hitless innings on Saturday night before Brandon Drury’s one-out double in the seventh for the Los Angeles Angels.

Boyle was outstanding in his third big league appearance, facing the minimum 18 batters through six innings. Zach Neto reached on a walk in the first inning, but was erased on a double play.

Nolan Schanuel then drew a four-pitch walk in the seventh. After Boyle struck out Neto, Drury hit a tailing drive to right-center that eluded diving center fielder Esteury Ruiz.

Mike Moustakas then drove in Schanuel with a flyout to the warning track in the right field corner. The earned run was the first allowed by Boyle in his first 16 major league innings.

Logan O’Hoppe followed with a two-run homer, putting the Angels up 3-1.

Nick Allen made several stunning plays at shortstop to keep Los Angeles hitless. He fielded Drury’s grounder and threw him out with a spinning move in the fourth inning before leaping to stab Logan O’Hoppe’s liner out of the air in the fifth.

Boyle has provided a rare spot of hope for a franchise finishing up its worst season since 1916 amid its increasingly possible relocation to Las Vegas.

Boyle got his first major league callup on Sept. 17 from the A’s, who acquired him from Cincinnati on July 31 in a trade for Sam Moll.

He made brief stops at Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas before making his big league debut with three scoreless innings against San Diego on Sept. 17.

Boyle then threw six innings of five-hit ball against Detroit last Saturday, earning his first major league victory.

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